Rescue teams have inched closer to the engineers and workers trapped inside a tunnel after a section of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) project collapsed 24 hours ago, with operations underway to extricate them, officials said on Sunday. The teams in the accident site at Nagarkurnool district, about 150 km from here, called out the names of the trapped people, but there was no response, sources said.
The rescue personnel were able to reach up to the 13th km inside the tunnel, a short distance from where the mishap occurred around 8.30 am on Saturday.
Earlier on Sunday morning, rescue operations at the tunnel faced a roadblock as the SDRF and NDRF teams encountered severe challenges in accessing the collapsed section of the tunnel. Eight workers are feared trapped after a three-meter section of the roof of an under-construction stretch of the tunnel caved in near Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district.
"There's no chance to go to the spot inside the tunnel. It has completely collapsed and mud is reaching up to the knees. We will have to take another step," an SDRF official said. SDRF, NDRF and other rescue teams, along with officials from Singareni Collieries, returned after inspecting the collapsed portion tunnel, in which at least eight workers are feared trapped, while few had managed to escape.
The collapse occurred just four days after construction work had resumed following a lengthy hiatus. In response, NDRF and SDRF teams were deployed to the site, while an Engineer Regiment of the Indian Army, part of the Infantry Division at Secunderabad, was placed on standby with an Excavator Dozer to support the rescue efforts, said the army. The ETF is equipped with specialist engineering teams, a Medical detachment from the Field Ambulance of the Army Medical Corps, an ambulance, three high-capacity pumping sets, armoured hoses, and other accessories.
Reacting to the incident, Congress MP from Nagarkurnool, Mallu Ravi told ANI, "A very bad incident happened in the SLBC tunnel. The roof collapsed here. Around 60 people were working. Except 8, all others have come out safely without any serious injuries."
PM Modi dials Telangana CM to offer support for SLBC tunnel rescue operation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to inquire about the tunnel collapse incident and assured all possible assistance from the Centre for the ongoing rescue operation.
Reddy briefed the Prime Minister on the situation, informing him that efforts were already underway to rescue the trapped individuals, according to a release from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO).